The 11-time leading Coventry Stakes winner Aidan O’Brien looks to have unearthed another sprinting gem as Great Barrier Reef ran out a six-length winner at the Curragh on Sunday. O’Brien’s horses have often come on for their first outings, but the market strength behind this one suggested he was something out of the ordinary.
Such a belief came to fruition, after travelling comfortably to the front and powerfully drawing away under Ryan Moore. Seven lengths in third was Bull Shark, who was previously third in the opening Curragh two-year-old Maiden dominated by subsequent Group 1 winning Amo Racing horses.
Speaking to Racing TV, via Sporting Life, Aidan O’Brien said: “We always thought he was nice, obviously he was doing everything very easily at home. He was never taken off the bridle and you never know what’s going to happen when that does happen.
“Ryan was very happy and he would have learnt plenty from today, we’ll look forward to the next day. I think he might have been one of the first two-year-olds that Ryan would have rode. He’s always shown plenty of speed.
“They didn’t go very fast. He had a look so Ryan gave him a little flick just to get down and open up. You’d imagine he will come on a lot. You usually need two runs going to Ascot. We always viewed him as a Coventry/Heinz/Middle Park/Dewhurst type of horse, so couldn’t be happier really.”
Joseph O’Brien lands a Curragh treble
Elsewhere on the card, Joseph O’Brien kicked the day off with the aptly named Star Prospect. The son of Starman travelled strongly behind leaders, and got going late in the day to come through rivals.
O’Brien landed a double when winning the Group 3 Alleged Stakes for the second year running. Starford improved through handicaps last season, but recorded a clear career best under Scott McCullagh. The rider told Racing TV it was “A nice surprise. But Joseph and the team thought he had a solid each-way chance. He thought he’d come on from his first run, goes on the ground well.
“I couldn’t believe the posi I got from the draw. By halfway, I was happy, I let him fill himself up and we got a nice run through. Joseph O’Brien book-ended the card with Arctic Assassin, who stayed on well to win the three-year-old mile handicap.